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I know that there are many fine examples of Spencerian script out there, especially on the IAMPETH site, but I just wanted to pay my own small tribute to Platt Rogers Spencer and the beautiful American script.

Ken, you're a God

No, seriously, this is absolutely wonderful. I have to sort out my troubles with flex writing and get into it, because this is just outstanding.

Thanks for your kind comments, SquelchB

Hi Caliken,
Truly beautiful , as always ...

I've always wondered how many years of practice , before you reach this level of control ...
Inspiring ...

A few questions :
I can't make out the nib you are using ?
and
is the paper canted ?
and
what ink were you using ?

Tks for posting. A video is truly very very informative ...

Hope that helps a little

By the way, thanks for showing us your (mad) skills Caliken! It is always a pleasure to see your work. Seems so effortless... Your writing is very elegant and graceful. Wish I could do the same

Cya around!
Shinichiro.

Ken,

I tried to figure out exactly how to phrase this so it didn't come off as a criticism or complaint. So here goes.

I was under the impression that Spencerian was supposed to be a functional style for use in business correspondence. Your rate of writing wouldn't work for that at all. Do you think that the way you are producing it is how it was done originally, or are you being extra exacting for purposes of ornamentation and art?

Either way, it looks really beautiful.

You're more than welcome

Songwind:
"Spencerian Script, developed in the first half of the 19th century by PR Spencer, Sr. was a lightly shaded form of handwriting executed with either a quill or steel nib in a straight penholder. Pens like the Gillott 303 and Spencerian No.1 were in production in and around the 1850's with the 303 being produced even earlier. The students of PR Spencer, Sr. and their students together with the oblique penholder, snappy steel nibs (Gillott 303 and the Principality), smoother papers and good inks led to an embellishment of the basic Spencerian script into what we now call Ornamental Script. It is more ornate and can have more dramatic shades. This form began to leave the realm of handwriting and enter the realm of art.

Business script developed as a means to simplify handwriting for teaching purposes and daily use. It came after Spencerian and is executed with a straight pen holder. Less flexible pens such as the Esterbrook 556 and 761 were used though masters could use the sharper flexible pens like the Gillott 604EF."

Book images:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...l%3Den%26sa%3DG

And for a larger overview:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...l%3Den%26sa%3DG

calikan: I think you made P. R. Spencer smile:

Songwind -
I think that your comments are neither criticisms nor complaints, but searching, perceptive questions.

Actually, HardyB put it much better than I could, with his comprehensive, historical overview. Thank you, both.

I get a lot of pleasure from writing flex scripts - there is something about the response of a good flex nib!
I suppose that I write slowly because I can control it better that way - and because I enjoy it.

caliken

Thanks, TMLee

The nib is a Hunt 101 and the ink, Higgins Eternal.

When using an oblique penholder, I rotate the paper anti-clockwise until the slope line is at right angles to the edge of my drawing board. The nib is then pointing straight down the slope line for even flexing.

To get the best possible straight-on image with video, I mount my camera on a tripod, which I place directly over the paper on a flat surface and then turn the camera so that the image is parallel to the frame edge. I then poke my writing arm between two of the tripod legs. This is a little bit uncomfortable and there is always the risk of contact with a tripod leg - but, as they say - no pain, no gain!

caliken

Wonderful demonstration of some truly beautiful scripting. Thanks for sharing with us, Ken!

Does it take a while to get used to that offset/oblique nib holder? It really looks peculiar, but it seems to afford a better grip and thus perhaps better writing for longer periods?

Thank you, MYU

It takes a little time to get used to it, but it's well worth while. It soon feels perfectly natural, and as you develop a very light touch, it means that you can write without effort far longer - for flex writing, it's certainly the way to go!

Having said that, it's perfectly possible with a fountain or straight pen, it's just more difficult, IMO.

caliken

Ken, you're changing your avatar three times a day, it's a bit confusing

Tks Cal, now I understand better.

See what I mean , a pic is worth a thousand words....

Sorry, SquelchB but I've changed my avatar yet again. I was happy with the last one but I felt that it would be more appropriate on this forum to use a fountain pen. This was written with a Pelikan FP with a nib modified to italic by Richard Binder - I hope that you like it!

BTW your latest uncial posting is very impressive.

caliken

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